A Race Against Time - Personal Narrative
" I can do it… I can …" I kept repeating this line over and over again
as I positioned myself at the starting point. The war of the crowd
seemed miles away and all that mattered was me, the track and the
clock. Time seemed to freeze for a split second as I began to crouch
to my starting position. It was an agonizing two seconds as I waited
for the splitting, piercing sound to erupt from the gun.
Now was that crucial moment. A decision that had kept my mind from
thinking anything else besides this race. I took half a second to
glance at my opponents on my right. These are the ones. The best of
this nation. The ones I had to beat. But what worried me was not the
other seven runners, but the clock, the record set back in
eighty-three. Yes, today, the twenty-year-old record would be no more,
and a new champion would be born.
My mind dangerously wandered off, breaking my concentration. What if…?
It was racing with thoughts of uncertainties, fear and doubt.
Winning was not a problem, it was making a mark in today's event that
was the challenge. If I were to just simply run this race, it would be
like leaving my footprints along the beach. Tide and time would wash
away those marks - someone else may beat my timing some other time,
and I would be nothing. Or, I could imprint my hands onto the blocks
of semi-wet cement in Hollywood, and there, I would stay forever -
just like my name would be a new barrier for any other inspired
runner, aiming for a record.
The sun's heat beat down upon us, sending endless streams of torment
and torture. It was unusually hot, and it worried me even more. This
race was not against each other, it was a race against time.
A bead of sweat slipped down my forehead and trickled slowly down my
neck. At that instant, the gun exploded, sending a thunderous shock
Every race that I have run, he is in my thoughts and I strive and strive until I give it all I’ve got and that is never enough. I can always run a good race but it is most likely not with all my strength and ...
The Seagate Ultras on November 26, 1994, included races of 60 km, 50 miles, and 100 km, each run on the same 1.1 mile loop. There were approximately 10, 10, and 6 runners, respectively, in these races, which were judged separately. My 9:29 time for 100 km was not very fast, but it won that race easily, and I also went through 60 km and 50 miles faster than anyone in those races. So I am not a novice.
country. The reality was that they put their lives on the line every day to
“A race is like a work of art that people can look at and be affected by in as many ways as they’re capable of understanding.”(70) Here the author quotes Steve Prefontaine, and in this quote it explains that humans can enjoy and appreciate running with there minds and feeling, unlike animals. “I’m moved by others dreams and by their devotion and courage in the pursuit of excellence. I get choked up when I see a kid or anyone else, fighting against hopeless odds. Someone who goes out there to run the lonely roads with a dream in the heart, a gleam in the eye, and a goal in mind.”(74) Then, later on the author concludes that completing a race is not about having a fit and healthy body, but a dream, an “antelope”, or a goal in mind. To back that up, is the mental courage to fight for your dream, your
Standing at the starting line of the race there are hundreds of other runners that surround me. As my eyes search the mass of people and I can clearly see how each one of these runners differ from the others. Some of the most distinguishable in the crowd are the Overly Dedicated, the Average Runner, and the #runner. All of these types help to create the great diversity of runners with their distinctive qualities and their imaginative views towards the running world. Starting with the most fanatical of the bunch the Overly Dedicated comes into play.
United States of America, and I developed a strong feeling that my life soon would change forever.
As a result I devised a three week training plan to methodically guarantee my prosperity. The first week, despite its being the least amount of cumulative miles, was the most arduous. The farthest distance I travelled was five miles, not even half of the distance I was projecting to run only two weeks
What’s the most influential story ever told? Who wrote it and Why? What emotions did it pull? All aspects of life are based on the stories told and history held within them. A piece of prose, a poem, and even a song tells a story and have the ability to evoke a wide range of emotions from the audience. My obsession with being a storyteller and The University Of Iowa’s M.F.A writing program is the perfect recipe to impact audiences across any medium.
On the Monday October 27th, 2014, for the first time in 4 years I did not wake up at 5:30 in the morning, I was not putting on a green skivvy shirt and shorts. There was no formation, no one that was higher command I had to report to, telling me where I had to go, what time I had to eat breakfast, what was I doing this day or what our platoon plans were for the day. There were no PT (physical training) I had to do this morning. Instead, I woke up grab a regular t-shirt, khaki shorts, and my two sea bags full of clothing and gear that I collected during my time in the Marine Corps. I threw everything in my vehicle and drove from Camp Pendleton, California to Quincy, Illinois. Within two weeks I was accepted to Southern Illinois University Carbondale. For three days, I stayed at the
As I walk into Hazen and begin my high school journey I think to myself what I want to accomplish when I leave. Hazen is like the older sister I never had, someone who you hate occasionally, but look up to and pushes you to achieve your personal goals. As I walk through those Highlander doors I was immediately surrounded by the brightest minds, talent, and innovative bunch of my generation. Each one unique and each one having something special to offer, and I soon realized that I want to leave high school like I was never leaving. By making the most out of my high school experience I want to gain maturity and the satisfaction of knowing I made a difference in my school and community. By becoming a member of the National
Today i will be writing a personal narrative about an incident that changed my life. I will be talking about the time I flew over 3,000 miles to Alaska. Around the beginning of last summer my grandparents told me I was going to be going to Alaska on a cruise. In early June of last year was probably one of scariest moments of my life! I flew on a plane for the first time. The day of the flight was pretty scary; between being in an airport and going through security to actually flying on a plane! Once we got in the air I was able to relax and actually enjoy the flight. Being in the clouds and being able to look out over the earth was amazing. i'm glad i could have the experience of being on a plane with my family. We flew into Seattle which was fun because we went shopping and went to a really nice restaurant and then boarded a cruise ship that would take us through Alaska.
Leaving the bodies for last we walked down the drive to take a look. Several rifles and shotguns were leaned carefully again the big oak. Two handguns and some knives were on the grass in front of them. Four people dangled from a branch of the tree close enough to each other to bump like a weird wind chime. A young couple and the other twice their age at a guess from the gray hair and styles of dress. They were probably parents and a married son or daughter with their spouse. Other than being hung there were no injuries apparent on any of the four. From the condition of the bodies they had been dead about a day.
Everyone loves a thrill. We watch movies that make us rethink what is in the dark with us, jump off of bridges and cliffs with our only savior being a bungee cord that may or may not be 10 years old, and we create gravity defying, speeding cars without motors and brakes. The crazy thing is, we do it all for fun. I, however, didn’t have a fun time when I went on a roller coaster that went upside down for the first time.
Running hurdles has proved to be one of my greatest passions in life. I love the fear, unpredictability, and brief feeling of flying over the hurdles, just barely hovering over the top of each one. Most importantly, I am infatuated with the feeling after each race: my heart beating intensely in my chest and the feeling of relief and accomplishment washing over me. Although I cannot say running hurdles has been the greatest adversity I have faced in life, I have found that my life has always been like a race, running from one hurdle to the next, always having to figure out how to get up after each fall or to overcome each obstacle in front of me.